Rare Video Games Auctions, Sales & Pricing » Playstationhttp://www.gamesniped.com
gameSniped.comTue, 28 Jul 2015 20:05:48 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Reddit/YouTuber Uncovers Retro Console Prototype for SNES CDhttp://www.gamesniped.com/2015/07/13/retro-console-snes-cd/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2015/07/13/retro-console-snes-cd/#commentsMon, 13 Jul 2015 18:20:14 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=26578Often times, when you write about retro video games, you write about something that everyone knows about. Your subject material has already been completely covered by other sources from top to bottom. It's not often that I get the pleasure of writing about a completely unknown retro console. But that' s exactly what happened when Reddit user AnalogueBoy unleashed pictures and videos of his Father's prototype SNES CD (or is it a Nintendo Playstation).

If you need a refresher on the history behind the Playstation Nintendo Super Disc, you can check out the wiki page or watch the video below.

Behold, mortals! The Nintendo/Sony Play Station. The king of the Playstation Prototype!

In a nutshell, Sony and Nintendo had a bit of a falling out. In the late 80's, Nintendo commissioned Sony to produce a CD (or super disc) addon for their SNES retro console. However, Nintendo was a bit too lax with the fine print of their deal and didn't get exclusive rights to the video games. Seeing the dollar signs shrinking before their very eyes, Nintendo freaked out and hammered out a deal with Sony's big rival, Phillips. Many people feel that Nintendo was trying to use the new deal as leverage to force Sony to restructure their old deal. This latter deal would lead to the incredibly disappointing Phillips CD console. However, some prototypes of the ill fated nintendo cd still lingered about for disposal at a later date. The original Sony/Nintendo add on was supposed to get all sorts of sweet stuff like sequels to the groundbreaking Final Fantasy 6 (FF3 to us North American gamers) and Super Street Fighter 2. It's really a shame we'll never know what could have been. However, some experts claim that advanced games such as The Secret of Mana and the super FX chip (Star Fox!) directly stem from the research and development between the two companies.

Back to present time, according to Reddit user AnalogueBoy, his father worked for Nintendo back in the early 90's. During his time working for big N, he somehow managed to snag up one of the 200 Playstation prototype that were supposed to be destroyed once the deal went south. What's interesting to note is that Sony left their name and the Play Station brand all over what otherwise appears to be a very Nintendo-ish console. One would imagine that the execs at Nintendo would have a field day with the Sony name plastered in bold letters all over the SNES CD. Interestingly, they kept the original Super Famicom fine print on the back of the controller. You can check out AnalogueBoy's YouTube video below. Bear in mind he uses a curse word or two. So, the video may not be suitable for everyone.

Many people (myself included) wonder about the authenticity of this retro console prototype. Don't get me wrong the story sounds nice. "My dad worked for Olaf Olafsson (President of Sony). When the Nintendo/Sony deal went belly up, he discovered this Playstation prototype in a box marked trash and decided to steal it instead of throwing it out." It's plausible. But, I find his story a bit too coincidental. For instance, don't you think that he would most likely still have the power cable to turn the console on? A working prototype would be worth much more money than an unverified (yet still bitching looking) piece of hardware. As they say, the proof is in the pudding. And, as of yet, we still don't have actual video showing us the console booting up and running software. With that being said, I really want to believe that this thing is the real deal. The story is logical enough to be true. And, if this is a true prototype of the SNES CD, it's absolutely priceless considering the other models may have been destroyed in the early 90's.

Anyway, tell me what you think in the comment section below. Is this a real piece of history, or is this just another guy on the internet trying to 'pull the wool' over our eyes? Did Terry DieBold (Reddit user's father) preserve an important piece of gaming archaeology that could rewrite console history, or is AnalogueBoy trying to make a quick buck on some sucker on eBay? We want to know what you guys think about this madness.

Rare or Vintage eBay Video Game Listings

Original NES MAX Controller - $10 give or take. May be able to get an auction cheaper. The more yellowed the plastic on the controller, the better it is

Gameboy Booster - Prices fluctuate. But, you should be able to snag one around $20. Play Game Boy games on your Nintendo 64!

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2015/07/13/retro-console-snes-cd/feed/4Transformation of Wrestling Video Games Pt. 3: 5th Generationhttp://www.gamesniped.com/2015/06/03/wrestling-video-games-part-3/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2015/06/03/wrestling-video-games-part-3/#commentsWed, 03 Jun 2015 14:48:30 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=26501Fifth generation consoles refer to the 32-bit and 64-bit gaming systems such as the Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1, and other handheld devices. It's also known as the 3D era. So, that's fitting that the revolutionary attitude infused era of professional wrestling received a serious face lift in the video game industry. The time of the older and much simpler WWF wrestling games was officially over. In 1999, wrestling video games had already become cemented in the gaming industry. While they were not necessarily the best games on their respective platforms, their popularity grew more and more each year.

The following title brought unique, never before seen features. The 1997 Mayhem was the first wrestling game to let players fight in all twelve WCW pay-per-view venues. It also featured their three major WCW TV shows: Nitro, Thunder, and Saturday Night. The game was also the first to include backstage areas.

Mayhem may have been buggy compared to other wrestling video games. But, we were just glad to have a 3d game at the time!

Electronic Arts, in a time when they weren't synonymous with all things evil and wrong with the video game industry, released a few WCW wrestling games. Their best one to this day is still WCW Mayhem. It was the first professional wrestling game produced by EA. EA released Mayhem for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and a gimped version on the Game Boy Color in 2000. Many felt disappointed by WCW Mayhem due to the subpar gameplay compared to the earlier WCW vs NWO: World Tour and WCW Nitro. These older games offered far superior gameplay. But, some features of Mayhem really impressed me when I first played it.

The game was originally going to be the first among the story-based wrestling video games. Unfortunately, this feature was scrapped from development due to time restraints. It would have consisted of more dialogue and more commentary from Bobby Heenan and Tony Schiavone. Only Tony Schiavone's audio commentary remains available on the N64 version which is kind of confusing. Some of the lines that you can hear are directly towards Heenan.

It received average reviews from critics. I remember not being overly thrilled with the physics (or lack there of) and repetitive move sets. The gameplay was somewhat smooth (though not as smooth as the late games on the SNES and Genesis). However, what really blew me away were the graphics and sound. Nowadays, the stuff here is pretty unsophisticated and rudimentary. But back then, seeing Goldberg and Sting's likeness in (heavily pixilated 3D) was pretty cool. I considered it top notch although some things were a serious step back from the 2D games.

Mayhem was supposed to go places, but the publishers rushed the developers too much. What resulted was a mediocre and buggy game. Compared to later games, the create-a-wrestler mode felt disappointing. Although, it was pretty cool being able to make wrestlers from scratch for the first time. Plus, the game somewhat made up for unfulfilled features with a huge selection of wrestlers. With over 50 wrestlers to choose from and a huge selection of stages to in, it seemed like this game would make the genre stand-out.

Although Virtual Pro Wrestling 2 never saw a release outside of Japan, it's one of the pinnacle games for the era!

Moving on to other publishers and gaming systems. Do you remember the N64 wrestling games? The most successful third party title of this time period had to be WWF WrestleMania 2000. Many consider this game as the bonafide master of the genre. I personally felt it was one of the best games on the Nintendo 64. I'm sure you all pretty much know how great WrestleMania is. So, instead, I want to focus on a lesser known (but still great) game that came out around the same time. I'm talking about its N64 clone of WrestleMania, Virtual Pro Wrestling 2.

VPW2 (and the first VPW for that matter) used the same engine as WrestleMania. This allowed players an incredible amount of customization (although, the game regrettably limited one's custom wrestler slots). It doesn't have any WWF licensing. Some western audiences viewed this as a deal breaker and it was never released in North America. However, the roster is massive (over 100) and the game includes over 1000 different movesets. The roster primarily consists of various Japanese wrestlers from All Japan and New Japan Pro Wrestling among other federations. Hardcore wrestling fans may recognize fighters like Kamala the Ugandan Giant, Mike Awesome, and Vader. Each of these stars subsequently appeared in WWF. This game is perfect those of you who like to customize your game by creating your own content.

VPW2 looks and feels like a clone of WWF WrestleMania 2000. But, it shines in some areas. For example the venues are much better than in Wrestlemania 2000, but VPW2 omitted cage matches, and the newly introduced first blood matches because they were considered unconventional for a Japanese audience. Regrettably, I never had much of a chance to play Virtual Pro Wrestling 2. But, I've heard good things. Picking up a copy nowadays is as simple as downloading a ROM file or hitting up eBay. You can check it out in all of its glory here.

WWF SmackDown came at the very end of the fifth generation. It excelled at all the older features but mastered none of them.

WWE wrestling games were still reigning champions at the height of the attitude era. That's no surprise with icons such as Stone Cold and the Rock. Unfortunately, these WWF wrestling games were buggy and lax. Some people accused the later PS1 games (like WWF SmackDown) of being too derivative and only produced to cash in a quick buck from the success of other games such as WCW Nitro, WWF WrestleMania 2000, and WCW vs NWO: World Tour. Derivative or not, I had a fun time with these games back in the day.

WWF SmackDown was published by THQ in March of 2000, and contained one of the more robust story modes of this console generation. Players could play the procedural generated story mode for ten in-game years in order to unlock everything. Although the game lacks essential features like voice-overs, play-by-play audio commentary, a more compelling story mode (which is common for games with procedural generation), various move sets, and a huge roster, it was well received by fans and critics alike. I give it a thumbs up. Don't be off put by the ugly, pixilated graphics. The likeness of the wrestlers in WWF SmackDown were considered groundbreaking for its time. And, although the story mode lacked depth, the span of the mode keep me engaged for a long time.

I know we've passed over other games such as WWF Attitude (awesome customization, terrible controls). There is only so much space for each article. Check below for a list of definitive games on eBay to build your collection of Wrestling video games from the fifth generation consoles.

WCW Mayhem PS1 / N64 - PS1 prices are reasonable under $10. Most auctions include the manual for the jewel case. N64 are mostly cart only but super cheap.

WCW vs. the World - One of the first 3D wrestling games (1996?). PS1 only. Sub par for its time but essential piece of history. Easily less than $10

WCW vs. nWo: World Tour - Huge step up from WCW vs World. N64 exclusive. Built the foundation for the controls in wrestling games we play today. It's also a bargain. $4ish for cart only. $6 to $10 for CIB.

WCW Nitro PS1 / N64 - If you don't have a preference, grab the N64 copy for its additional roster. PS1 Greatest Hits copy is very common and cheap. Non-GH is a bit more rare. Typically costs $10 for complete jewel case. N64 is very cheap. I've seen them sell under $5.

WWF Attitude - Underrated. Game was passed over for the superior controls of WCW wrestling games. But, the customization here was INSANE! Should be able to pick up complete jewel case for $5.

WWF Attitude memory card - Super rare and difficult to find. EB Games offered an exclusive mem card with custom wrestlers for those who preordered and purchased.

WWF Royal Rumble - Dreamcast exclusive. $10 for the complete jewel case. $6 for disc only. Game is shallow and only offers Royal Rumble and Exhibition modes. Sub par game but allows 9 wrestlers in a match at one time.

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2015/06/03/wrestling-video-games-part-3/feed/0The List of Survival Horror Games (Cont’d): My Favorite Scariest Games on the PC and Consoleshttp://www.gamesniped.com/2014/10/28/scariest-games/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2014/10/28/scariest-games/#commentsTue, 28 Oct 2014 15:55:58 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=25044Hey, guys. Welcome back. As I mentioned last week, my list of my favorite survival horror games felt a bit skimpy to me. So this week, I've decided to flesh out the list to include general horror video games (be they adventure, survival, or action horror). Let's check out my favorite scariest games on the PC and Consoles.

Condemned: Criminal Origins - Condemned is sort of like Amnesia's more action oriented step brother (although, obviously, Condemned was released long before Amnesia). This game is chock full of soupy thick atmosphere as you hunt down a serial killer through trash strewn underground environments. It features a solid melee system which is good since ammunition is very scarce. This game just barely missed out on my survival horror list last week.

Dead Island - Other zombie games such as Left4Dead may have a more serious delivery, but Dead Island is sort of like the 'greatest hits' of zombie culture. You get procedural generated weapons, both running/walking zombies, and a free form landscape to romp around in. For me, the Dead Islands are just plain fun (which is the essential point of a video game in the first place). Make sure you buy the PC version so you can mod it.

Silent Hill (PS1) - I know that I said SH 4 is my favorite. I still stand by that view (ducks to avoid glass bottle). But, who can deny the impact of the first Silent Hill game. This game introduced the J-Horror genre to western audiences well before the Ring or the Grudge ever made their way over here.

Dead Space - Resident Evil 4...in spaaaaaace. In all honesty, Dead Space has enough atmosphere and NOPENOPE moments to creep out even the most avid horror game lover out there. Best of all, this game doesn't totally rely on action sequences cheap jump scares (looking at you RE 4).

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem - Ah Eternal Darkness. You can't make a proper horror game list without including this one. Truly a masterpiece. For those of you who still haven't played it, I don't want to ruin anything for you. Just, do yourself a favor and play it as soon as possible. The game mechanics are incredible.

SCP Containment Breach - It's terrifying and free! Cudos to the eye blink system (which is much scarier than it probably sounds).Â

Sanitarium - Sanitarium is a classic 90's PC horror game where you journey through your warped psyche. If you don't like dealing with discs, you can always download a DRM free version of the game at GOG.

Fatal Frame - SH1 may have introduced western audiences to the J-Horror style with its creepy, haunted midwestern town. But, Fatal Frame was absolutely saturated in the genre with it glacial, nihilism inducing pacing and pants wetting ghosts. This game is made of so much win for you horror lovers out there. If you haven't played it, stop reading this and go do so at once!

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2014/04/22/ps3-eu-promos-and-happy-earth-day/feed/2Cigars, Zelda Bling & Morehttp://www.gamesniped.com/2013/12/10/cigars-zelda-bling-more/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/12/10/cigars-zelda-bling-more/#commentsTue, 10 Dec 2013 23:57:06 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=24710It surprises me sometimes, even in the 90's, that Nintendo would put their logo on something as odd as a Cigar cutter. Â Obviously, they were promoting Conker's Bad Fur Day, a game that was definitely not made with kids in mind, but with all the anti-tobacco initiatives and accusations that the companies were targeting children, you would think they would have taken on a bit of a different approach. Â There aren't any currently listed, but they even had Nintendo brand cigars that were handed out as a promotion (yes, they were actual cigars--I bought two and shipped them to a friend who proceeded to be silly and used them....'very stale and cheap' I think were his words.) Â I'm super confused by these Pokemon Cigar Bands as well...I kind of doubt they are licensed anyhow. Â Not to be outdone, Sony has their own Cigar cutter and Match Set....

Zelda Link to the Past Pendant: Â Some serious bling, it looks like this used to be sold at Hot Topic? Â What a nifty necklace! Â With all the Zelda merchandise going crazy lately, I figured I might as well feature something a little oddball.

Nintendo M3 ROB Store Display: Â This is the cream of the crop as far as the M Series goes...very hard to find, this looks to be the third of these that has been auctioned in recent memory.

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/12/10/cigars-zelda-bling-more/feed/2The Original Duck Hunthttp://www.gamesniped.com/2013/04/30/the-original-duck-hunt/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/04/30/the-original-duck-hunt/#commentsTue, 30 Apr 2013 09:56:27 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=20960Guess what? The NES version of Duck Hunt you've known your whole life was actually a remake. The first and original Duck Hunt game was released by Nintendo in 1977 and consisted of a projector device that flashed orange ducks on your wall. It also came with a light gun, which worked the same way as the more well-known version -- a brief flash when you pulled the gun's trigger measured if you'd hit the target or not.

If you always wanted to be rid of that laughing dog, there was an option this entire time.

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/04/30/the-original-duck-hunt/feed/1Press Kitshttp://www.gamesniped.com/2013/04/28/press-kits/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/04/28/press-kits/#commentsSun, 28 Apr 2013 09:47:51 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=20785In my mind, with the release of the Playstation 1 came the birth of the press kit. There isn't a clear definition of what a press kit is, but most collectors agree that it should at least contain a (promo) copy of the game. These kits are sent to journalists and reviewers to present their new game in a special way and they often contain amazing extra's that were never available for the average customer.

The rarest kits aren't necessarily the most expensive ones, and the first Playstation 1 kits are extremely rare but never fetch big amounts. Lately, current gen press editions of big series such as Uncharted and Bioshock command a high price.

Nowadays a lot of brochures and promo items get sold on eBay as "press kits", but only a select few games get a real press kit release.

Sony's first home console was the first system that got a fair share of limited and collector's editions. Previous consoles have their odd (and usually very rare) limited editions. But with the PS1 publishers started the trend of special editions that was the prelude to the flood of editions we have nowadays.

A lot of the special sets were only released in certain countries, almost every European country has it's exclusive editions which make it hard for PAL Playstation collector's to get a full set.

One of the rarest limited editions released for the PS1 is the Resident Evil 2 Special Edition (PAL) This set was only released in Germany in very small print run and racks in quite some dough if one pops up.

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/04/24/rare-playstation-1-collectors-editions/feed/0Sony PlayStation Internal Employee Glass Dualshock Controller Five Year Service Awardhttp://www.gamesniped.com/2013/03/17/sony-playstation-internal-employee-glass-dualshock-controller-five-year-service-award/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/03/17/sony-playstation-internal-employee-glass-dualshock-controller-five-year-service-award/#commentsMon, 18 Mar 2013 00:47:14 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=20115I like internal employee items, and this is one I haven't seen before.

You are bidding on a Sony PlayStation 5 years of service award given to employees that have at least 5 years of full time work within the company. The base plus the controller weigh about five pounds. The controller is made out of pure glass. My name is on the top of the base but is not being shown for certain reasons. This name can easily be removed if someone chooses to do so.

Working Designs created this extremely limited edition set as both an award and promotional item during the 1998 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

When you are brought face-to-face with an Assassin Case for the first time, a literal wall of awe falls over you, as everything you have ever collected, sought after, hunted, and played suddenly comes into focus. There really is nothing like this in the entire US PlayStation library, not even by Working Designsâ€™ own standards. The care and craftsman ship in the aluminum embossed case, along with the immaculate paint job on the GunCon really do stand out. Weâ€™ll break the set into its individual pieces.

1. The Briefcase
Measuring a robust 16 3/4ths by 9 3/4ths by 4 inches, the Assassin Case has a pre-molded bottom tray that has space for a GunCon, a double-jewel cased game, and one official Memory Card. You can actually squeeze a second one in there, but it looks awkward. The inside/top features a point-pattern Styrofoam sheet that keeps everything in place.

On the outside, there are four feet, handle, 2 tumbler locks for the hatches, and the original Japanese logo of the game. So detailed is the embossing you can even make out the silhouetteâ€™s nipple. Two hinges hold the case together halves together.

2. Official Namco Guncon
How do you compliment the ultimate gun game? You give it the best damn light gun available on the PlayStation; the GunCon. Created by Namco for their Time Crisis and Point Blank series, Working Designs took the original creation had had it repainted in shiny gold. The reflections are sharp as ever, though the included letter warns of the paint wearing off via sweaty hands.

3. Official Sony Memory Card
Originally planned to be gold plated as well, it seems that due to production issues Working Designs opted to just coat the gun by itself. Oddly enough, the included memory card is actually the very seldom seen Cherry Red edition. The concept of a gold memory card being abandoned can be verified in the included letter. It only mentions the GunCon by gold color. BUT, several people have gold cards in their set. Seems both were included.

4. Elemental Gearbolt
A full retail version of the game is included, factory sealed. Oddly enough, it still wields the contest sticker proclaiming you could win $10,000.

5. Congratulatory Letter
Included to announce you were one of the coolest people on the planet. The letterâ€™s contents are archived verbatim to the right, in our trivia section.

Less than 50 Assassin Cases were ever created. For confirmed numbers, I believe it is still under 20.

Auction Here - Price is a little high. Kudos to a thread on NA where I saw this mentioned. Last price points I have are from 2009. One for $2,136.00 and another for $3,000.

]]>http://www.gamesniped.com/2013/01/12/playstation-elemental-gearbolt-assassins-case-gold-card/feed/4More Playstation Museum Auctionshttp://www.gamesniped.com/2012/11/22/more-playstation-museum-auctions/
http://www.gamesniped.com/2012/11/22/more-playstation-museum-auctions/#commentsThu, 22 Nov 2012 13:18:42 +0000http://www.gamesniped.com/?p=18803Playstation Museum has a bunch of stuff up again, the highlights being these longboxes. I don't think anyone is going to pony up the asking price, but they are cool nonetheless.